Is Tesla the Next Apple?

Though Apple and Tesla may seem like two extremely different companies, they share some shocking similarities.

For one, neither company has ever been concerned with iterative changes. While mobile-device makers were making incremental improvements on their handsets in a never-ending game of one-upmanship, Apple sat coolly on the sidelines rewriting the rules and then blindsided the industry with an elegant and totally new solution.

Tesla seems to be doing the same thing in the auto industry. While automakers such as Ford and General Motors are locked in a constant battle of "me-too" improvements, Tesla has redesigned the automobile from the ground up and released a game-changer that people love.

As Apple knows, bears may accuse Tesla's products of being too expensive for what they offer, or impractical for the everyday person. But fast-forward through several generations of iPods, iPhones, and iPads, and what Apple has achieved doesn't seem so ridiculous.

Lastly, Both Apple and Tesla share managerial similarities. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a very Steve Jobs-esque vision, with attention to detail, and a brilliance that the bears shouldn't bet against.

See more from the Fool's Austin Smith and Jeremy Phillips in the following video.

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